





*u _ .- 









History 



o f t h e 



County of Schuylkill 



In honor of the 

County's Centenary 

July Second to Eighth 

Nineteen hundred and eleven 





Compliments of 


Dives, 


Pomeroy 


& Stewart 




Pottsville, 


Pa. 




C. Geo. Miller, M 


anager 



S3B51 



Uc 



QUEEN OF THE 
ANTHRACITE REGION 



"She wrought her people lasting good." 

Shakespeare. 



preface 



f fHE HISTORY OF SCHUYL- 

I ffr I KILL COUNTY is of such an 
i i inspiring nature that it can 

*'—°~"* never lose its value by repeti- 
tion, and, with this end in view, this 
book has been published. 

Many important events have been 
told herein, which, we hope, will be of 
interest to young and old. 

DIVES, POMEROY & STEWART. 



** 



SCHUYLKILL COUNTY 



ITS EARLY HISTORY 




>IONEER HISTORY of the State 
of Pennsylvania records the fact 
that Philadelphia was the first 
section of the state to form a 
permanent settlement. It had a 
substantial, prosperous growth, 
and as civilization pushed North into the then 
known wilds of the interior, an interior in which 
the Indian roamed at will, some of these early- 
adventurers returned to Philadelphia with tales 
of vast wealth in timber and minerals, hence it 
was but a short time before the new territory be- 
came populated with new owners, the streams be- 
came dotted with new homes upon its shores, the 
hills and valleys were tilled, and it was but a few 
years ere it became necessary for counties to be 
formed in order for law and justice to be near at 
hand and meted out to those who required or de- 
sired it. 

7 



\ 



NEW COUNTIES FORMED 

County organization had been formed in at 
least seven instances, when those pioneers who 
had passed into the northern part of the then 
known Berks County, finding it inconvenient to 
go to that county to transact their legal affairs, 
circulated a petition to be presented to the Legis- 
lature of the State of Pennsylvania setting forth 
in their prayer, that a new county be formed 
out of portions of Berks and Northampton 
Counties. 

These settlers, composed of men who could 
brave any storm, women who could stand any 
hardship, being God-fearing, peace-loving people, 
whom no Indian warrior, no hardship could drive 
from their adopted hearthstone, handed their peti- 
tion to those in authority, where it reached the 
hands of willing co-operators, and finally when it 
passed the Legislative body, Governor Simon Sny- 
der attached his signature thereto, March 18, 1811, 
creating an Act which states "that all that part 
of Berks County lying between the townships of 
Brunswick, Schuylkill, Manheim, Norwegian, Up- 
per Mahantongo, Lower Mahantongo and Pine- 
grove ; also the townships of West Penn and Rush 
in Northampton County, be formed into a new 

8 



county, the name of which shall be Schuylkill." 
Its population was about 6,000. 

Thus Schuylkill County received its title owing 
to its harboring the headwaters of the Schuylkill 
River which flowed South to Philadelphia where 
it entered the Delaware River South of that city, 
forming the Delaware Bay, thence into the Atlan- 
tic Ocean. 

THE COURT HOUSE PROVISO 

The Act as passed contained a proviso that a 
Court House be erected in the new county in 
which justice could be administered, thereby sav- 
ing litigants the time and expense of going many 
miles to the Berks county seat, and in order to 
further facilitate matters the enactment approved 
of a court of justice being established until such 
times as a court house could be erected. The 
residence of Abraham Reiffsnyder, in Brunswick 
Township, was selected as a place in which to hold 
said court, and in December, 1811, the first ses- 
sion of court was held, commencing on the first 
Monday of the month, thereby setting in motion 
the official machinery of the county. 

At the first session of the court, ten lawyers 
were admitted to practice, and up to the present 
time, covering a period of a century, hundreds of 

9 



attorneys have been admitted to practice at the 
bar of justice. 

Orwigsburg was one of the first settlements in 
the county, Peter Orwig having located there, 
thus receiving the honor of being termed the first 
settler, the date of settlement being 1796. The 
town, however, was not incorporated until the 
year 1813, and when the question of erecting a 
Court House arose, the new county was con- 
fronted with formidable rivalry for the honors, 
Orwigsburg, McKeansburg and Schuylkill Haven 
putting forth a strong claim for the honor, Schuyl- 
kill Haven claiming it because of its similarity to 
the new county's name, but McKeansburg and 
Orwigsburg likewise put forth strong claims, with 
the result that Orwigsburg finally won the cov- 
eted prize. 

Three Commissioners had been appointed by 
the Governor of the State to examine the claims 
of the various towns with the above result, though 
their task for a time seemed to be a difficult one. 

SCHUYLKILL'S FIRST COURT HOUSE 

The first Court House was erected in Orwigs- 
burg at a cost of $5,000 in 1815, the first session 
of court being held therein during the early part 

10 













i 

H ( 

3 M |^f»*f 



FIRST COURT HOUSE, ORWIGSBURG, PA., ERECTED 1815 




SECOND COURT HOUSE, POTTSVILLE, PA., ERECTED 1851 



of the year 1816. The building was enlarged in 
1827, and again in 1846, which served the county 
in every respect until Pottsville, a town which had 
grown to huge proportions, decided it was a more 
suitable and convenient place for the county seat, 
and setting forth that it was inconvenient for liti- 
gants to be compelled to go to Orwigsburg to at- 
tend to their legal matters, another petition was 
procured praying the Legislature to change the 
county seat to Pottsville, and after at least 15 
years delay, from 1831 to 1846, a successful at- 
tempt was made, the Act for which was finally 
passed by the Legislature and approved by the 
Governor, on March 13, submitting the question 
to the voters, the change being desired principally 
owing to the fact that the railroad and canal con- 
nections with Orwigsburg were not sufficient or 
convenient to carry the public to that town with- 
out losing valuable time, whilst Pottsville had ex- 
cellent railroad facilities, and was within easy 
access from all parts of the county. Pottsville 
won at the election. 

POTTSVILLE'S COURT HOUSES 

In 1851, after two years of labor, the new 
county seat placed at the disposal of the public a 

11 



Court House costing $30,000, December 1st of 
that year witnessing the removal of the county's 
records from the Court House at Orwigsburg to 
the new one at Pottsville. 

This building served the purpose of the public 
until 1892, when the present handsome Court 
House on the corner of Minersville, Second and 
Sanderson streets was completed and dedicated 
with appropriate ceremonies, the Third Brigade 
Band, of Pottsville, Prof. Frederick Gerhard, 
bandmaster, with thirty-two members, furnishing 
the music for the occasion, a vast concourse of 
people assembling for the purpose of witnessing 
the ceremonies. The new building, with equip- 
ment, costing nearly half a million dollars. 

A NEW COUNTY PROPOSED 

Several attempts have been made to have parts 
of Schuylkill County, parts of Luzerne County, 
and parts of Carbon County detached from their 
respective counties with the idea of forming a 
new county, and when last presented before the 
Legislature, even though it had the sanction of the 
then great political leader, Matthew Stanley Quay, 
with the expectation of naming the new county 
in his honor, the project was frustrated by the 

12 



bitter opposition of the residents of Schuylkill 
County. 

COUNTY PRISON 

In 1851 the county having insufficient accom- 
modation for prisoners, it was necessary to build 
a prison, which was done at a cost of $70,000, and 
is located on Sanderson Street, Pottsville, occupy- 
ing one city block, from Second to Third streets, 
and from Sanderson to Harrison streets. The 
building has been enlarged and otherwise remod- 
elled until today it is a structure which cost the 
county nearly $120,000, having all modern con- 
veniences. 

COUNTY ALMSHOUSE 

In 1831, an Act passed the Legislature designat- 
ing Schuylkill County as a poor district, hence it 
became necessary to procure a site and erect an 
Almshouse, when a tract of land in North Man- 
heim Township, adjoining the Borough of Schuyl- 
kill Haven, was purchased at a cost of $6,000, but 
later additions to the property added ground 
which finally totals 283 acres. A building was 
erected in 1833, which has been added to, and 
other small buildings erected until a series of 
buildings was the result, and although it cost the 
county a sum almost equal to one quarter of a 

13 



million dollars, it was entirely inadequate for the 
purpose, hence the county entered upon a new era 
of County Almshouse history when it decided to 
erect a new Almshouse Insane Hospital and for 
that purpose on May 19, 1911, bonds approximat- 
ing half a million dollars were sold to the highest 
bidder, the proceeds to be used for the building 
project. The interest on bonds to be at the rate 
of four percentum per annum, free of tax. 



14 



EXCELLENT WAR HISTORY 



MIGHTY MEN WERE THEY 



rag| CHUYLKILL COUNTY can point with 
I8|JPJ pride to its magnificent war history. 
LSxHJ When the call to arms sounded during 

the Revolution period, and General George Wash- 
ington was clamoring for men and arms, the 
cry was heard throughout the hills and valleys of 
this section of the country prior to its becoming a 
county, and in 1777, the Pennsylvania Archives 
records the names of soldiers who enlisted from 
what is now the southwestern section of our 
county (the location being Pinegrove) . 

In the Indian Wars, the inhabitants responded 
to the call again and served their country faith- 
fully. 

During the War with Mexico in the year 1846, 
following the call of the Governor of the State for 
troops, the Washington Artillery, a company of 
young men who had organized themselves into 

15 



a military company, offered their services, and 
were accepted. They were mustered into the 
service of the Government as Company B, First 
Penna. Volunteers. They served with distinction 
under the banner of General Winfield S. Hancock, 
a Philadelphia general of national fame, and when 
peace was declared after the submission of 
Mexico, the young men returned to their homes 
and were received with great honors. Col. Daniel 
Nagle, residing on West Norwegian street, Potts- 
ville, is one of the survivors of this campaign. 

THE FIRST DEFENDERS 

When the shot was fired on Fort Sumter that 
re-echoed around the world, on April 12, 1861, 
President Abraham Lincoln's call on April 15, 
1861, for volunteers for three months, was 
answered by Schuylkill County in a manner that 
must have given great encouragement to that 
greatest of statesmen and war presidents, when, 
marching up Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, 
the National Capital, five hundred and sixty men, 
two hundred and fifty of whom were from Schuyl- 
kill County, announced the fact that they were 
there to maintain the integrity of the nation. They 
were the First Defenders, composed of the Wash- 

16 



ington Artillery and National Light Infantry, of 
Pottsville, and in order to reach the Capital, had 
passed through a trying ordeal in the City of Bal- 
timore, where mobs hurled sticks, stones and mis- 
siles of every description upon them, but orders 
had been issued by their commanders to submit to 
persecution in order to reach the coveted goal, 
where they would be equipped with arms and uni- 
forms. They arrived April 18th, 1861. 

In their ranks that day was a colored man, and 
when felled with a missile, Nicholas Biddle was 
made famous as the first man to shed blood for 
his country during the awful struggle which fol- 
lowed the firing upon Fort Sumter, compelling 
Major Anderson to lower the nation's colors. 

Nicholas Biddle was a Schuylkill County man 
residing in Pottsville and was accompanying the 
soldier boys to assist in the camp duties when they 
arrived at Camp Curtin, Washington. 

Thus it was that the first blood shed in the war 
was the blood of a colored man, the cause of the 
war being the freedom of the colored race. 

The term of the First Defenders was now draw- 
ing to a close, and the Secretary of War being a 
Pennsylvanian, and like all his countrymen re- 
senting the right of the Southern States to secede, 

17 



the war governor as he was termed, Governor 
Andrew G. Curtin, advocated the call for an army 
of half a million ; however, his method of pushing 
the war was not immediately accepted, although 
a large army was being mobilized, and in the fall 
of 1861, a call was sent forth for volunteers for 
three years, or the war. 

ONE-SEVENTH OF POPULATION AT WAR 

Schuylkill County again showed her patriotism 
and sent armies to the front in rapid succession, 
until peace was concluded. It was found that out 
of a population of almost 91,000 she had sent forth 
one-seventh of her inhabitants, or 13,000. 

A wonderful record it was, and one that re- 
ceived the plaudits of the entire country. The 
blood that was shed from the veins of her beloved 
sons was not shed in vain. The widows who were 
left to mourn the loss of husband and father, 
reared their children in a manner that has become 
the wonder of the century; the mothers and 
fathers who lost their sons upon the battlefield, 
many to find unknown graves, have borne their 
sorrow with fortitude, and as the wounds of the 
long Civil War have become healed by the span of 
time, there is a growing friendship for the erring 

18 



brothers of the South, and today the North and 
the South are marching side by side in the Cen- 
tennial Celebration of the County of Schuylkill, in 
the City of Pottsville. 

About this time in the history of the county, 
business circles were floundering around for a 
steady foundation. The war had caused an in- 
flated valuation upon all commodities, and as the 
sons of the nation were returning from the war 
and again seeking employment, the shops and fac- 
tories opened their doors and started business life 
anew. 

E. R. MORRIS BUILDING CHANGES OWNERSHIP 

In 1892, Josiah Dives and Geo. S. Pomeroy, trad- 
ing as Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart, bought for their 
growing department store the R. R. Morris build- 
ing, the largest and most valuable mercantile 
property in Pottsville. 

Who can imagine the memories associated with 
this historical building? It was the rendezvous for 
the old soldiers returning from the war, and here 
the tales of the days of '61 to '65 were told and re- 
told as they sat around the imaginary camp fires 
on the fourth floor of this grand building. The 
bivouac was many times attended by famous war- 

19 



riors who came to hear again the stories of how 
the First Defenders responded to the call of 
Father Abraham, how the 48th and the 96th and 
many other famous Schuylkill Regiments time and 
again passed through the line of fire, and at every 
recall there was some of the numbers found miss- 
ing, and as the lines closed up, with aching hearts, 
those remaining went forth again to do battle for 
their beloved country. 

So it was with every regiment of the county, 
among the number being the following : 

5th Regiment — Co.'s C, E and I ; 

6th Regiment— Co.'s B, C, D, E, F, G, G, H ; 

9th Regiment— Co.'s H, K; 

10th Regiment — G and Washington Light In- 
fantry, Pinegrove; 

14th Regiment — Co. B ; 

16th Regiment— Co.'s A, B, D, E, I, Schuylkill 
Guards, Minersville; 

27th Regiment— Co.'s A, B, C, E, G, I; 

28th Regiment — Forty men ; 

39th Regiment — Entirely frow Schuylkill 
County ; 

40th Regiment — Thirty men ; 

48th Regiment — Entirely from Schuylkill Coun- 
ty ; Officers, Band, &c, complete ; 

20 



50th Regiment— Co.'s A, B, C, D, E, F, I, K; 
52nd Regiment — Fifty men; 
53rd Regiment— Co.'s C, F, H, I; 
55th Regiment — Co.'s E, and part B and C ; 
56th Regiment — Co. K ; 
60th Regiment— Co. I ; 
65th Regiment — Fifth Calvary entire ; 
67th Regiment— Co. K ; 
70th Regiment — Sixth Calvary entire ; 
75th Regiment — About 40 men ; 
76th Regiment — About 40 men ; 
80th Regiment— Co.'s A, E, F, G, I, L; 
81st Regiment — About 30 men ; 
93rd Regiment — About 30 men ; 
96th Regiment — Entirely from Schuylkill Coun- 
ty ; Officers, Band, &c, complete ; 
99th Regiment — Seventy-five men ; 
104th Regiment — Part only from Schuylkill ; 
108th Regiment — Eleventh Cavalry; 
116th Regiment— Co. F; 
13th Cavalry — About 70 men ; 
127th Regiment — One man Co. C and K ; 
129th Regiment— Co. A, B, E, G, H ; 
137th Regiment— Co. K; 
151st Regiment — Part Co. I ; 
161st Regiment — 16th Cavalry 84 men; 
21 



162nd Regiment — 17th Cavalry Co. A ; part 
Co. F; 

173rd Regiment— Co.'s A, D, F, H; 

184th Regiment— Part Co. F ; 

194th Regiment— Co.'s A, C, F, H; 

210th Regiment — One man Co. H, Co. E ; 

214th Regiment— Co. C. 

There is scarcely to be found anywhere an ac- 
curate list of the Schuylkill County soldiers who 
served in every branch of the army during the 
terrible struggle. They served their country well 
whether in the uniform of a sailor, a cavalryman, 
an artilleryman, an infantryman, and though 
thousands of homes were rent and torn, the 
struggle was not in vain, for the last half century 
has shown conclusively to the world at large that 
it was wise to preserve the unity of the country 
even at the awful price paid. 

"I will exalt thee; I will praise thee; 
For thou hast done most wonderful things." 

SPANISH WAR 
Immediately the call to arms brought a ready 
response from Old Schuylkill. The young boys 
again shouldered the musket, and although all of 
them did not reach foreign shores, they served 
their country to the best of their ability. 

22 



But a few of our Schuylkill County boys had 
the pleasure of getting close to the enemy during 
the war, but they served their country well, how- 
ever, and received honorable discharges. 



23 



P0A 



THE COAL INDUSTRY ! 

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY LEADS 

HE delving into the earth's surface for 
black diamonds is nowhere on the face 
of the globe found to be more scientifi- 
cally prosecuted than in the county of Schuylkill. 
Historians record the fact that coal was known 
to exist in this section of Pennsylvania as far back 
as 1766; others claim that it was not known to 
exist until nine years later, but what every school 
boy and girl of the present day residing in the 
county of Schuylkill does know, is, that coal is to 
be found here, and what the great railroad cor- 
porations, and individual operators know about 
this deposit is, that it exists in quantities to make 
the successful prosecutor a millionaire in a few 
short years, and that if a streak of hard luck is 
experienced in the prosecuting of the elusive veins, 
at times, it will make a pauper of the millionaire 
in a few short years, and there are both classes of 
these citizens known to exist in our midst. 

24 



The huge culm banks that years ago were 
thought to be worthless refuse, have alone made 
millionaires of those who discovered its steam- 
producing qualities, hence it has been loaded upon 
wagons — mine wagons, sent up to the "Tip" of 
the breaker, dumped into the proper channels in 
many instances in order to give it as thorough a 
cleansing as possible, removing therefrom the rock 
and slate in the best possible manner, and what 
was years ago considered the smallest size of coal, 
namely, Pea Coal, has now become one of the most 
staple articles upon the market, and the sizes now 
run as low as "Barley," and in some cases the fin- 
est of culm is now washed by a stream of force 
through a hose, washed directly into the railroad 
cars holding from seventy to one hundred tons, 
and sent to factories, where it is used for steam- 
producing purposes. 

RUSH FOR WEALTH 

Tales of fabulous wealth to be gained by enter- 
ing the Anthracite coal industry, brought an influx 
of capitalists from all parts of the world to Schuyl- 
kill about the year 1820. The principal means of 
travelling was the stage coach running from Phil- 
adelphia to Sunbury, having relay posts at various 

25 



stations along the line. The Center Turnpike, 
which is now the principal street of Pottsville, was 
the best road between these two points. The com- 
ing of the stage coach was the principal event of 
the week, as it brought with it news from the 
business and social centers of the United States, 
and now that people of wealth were coming to 
seek their fortunes in the coal mining industry, 
the public were worked up to fever heat. 

Pottsville had mines dotted along its hillsides; 
Mill Creek to the East was one of the most suc- 
cessful points thus far worked; Port Carbon, the 
termination of the Schuylkill Navagation Com- 
pany's Canal, was a most prominent port, and a 
visit to that town will find abandoned mines on 
the hillsides that were worked above the water 
levels at the time mentioned above. The coal was 
never found in sufficient quantities to warrant the 
vast outlay of money the present day method of 
mining requires, but some future day will find 
a valuable deposit of coal waiting the prospector. 
These veins are said to be of free burning quality. 

In order to get the output of the mines to the 
Schuylkill Navigation Company Canal, Mr. Abra- 
ham Pott constructed a railroad one mile in 
length from Mill Creek to the Schuylkill River at 

26 



Black Valley, which is said to be two years prior 
to the building of the Mill Creek Railroad, which 
was completed in 1829 and running from Port 
Carbon four miles up Mill Creek Valley, having 
three miles of branches. Mr. Pott was a resident 
of Pottsville, and is given the honor of being the 
pioneer railroad operator of this section. 

STEPHEN GIRARD IN REGION 

The following year, 1830, Stephen Girard en- 
tered the county of Schuylkill coal fields. 

As history records, he purchased coal proper- 
ties valued at $30,000, and the value of coal re- 
moved from the bowels of the earth by his in- 
dustry is perhaps incalculable, even though it 
might be possible for the Girard Estate, of Phila- 
delphia, to approximate the amount of hard cash 
handled by that great organization since the death 
of the great pioneer of the Mahanoy Valley. 

He came to that section of the county when the 
Mahanoy Creek was a silvery stream of water in 
which abounded the finny tribes of many varieties. 
Its banks were dotted with the virgin growth of 
centuries. The waters lapped the overhanging 
branches of the healthy growing trees and shrub- 
bery, and as the stream rushed on towards the 

27 



Susquehanna, it carried with it health and beauty 
to every living thing. 

The famous Girard tunnel at Mahanoy Plane 
poured forth millions to its possessor, and as the 
refuse was piled mountain high upon the valley 
and hillside, other operations likewise poured its 
refuse upon miles of hillsides, until half a cen- 
tury later, all vegetation in the once beautiful 
valley had succumbed to the crave for black dia- 
monds, and the stream became a stream of silt and 
filth, its woods had disappeared for mine timber, 
and what would have grown forth for future gen- 
erations was choked to death by the silt that was 
left to wash from the hills down into the stream, 
raising its bed to an alarming height, and the 
homes that had dotted its shores were now left 
desolate, abandoned, until time mercifully re- 
moved them from the eye of the passerby, and 
Ashland, Girardville, Mahanoy Plane, Maizeville, 
Gilberton, Mahanoy City and the little towns and 
villages were compelled to keep away from the 
shore of the stream, for Spring freshets yearly 
claimed its toll of destruction to homes, and there 
is naught to save the hillsides from becoming bare 
save the once despised laurel which is now looked 
upon as a flower placed there by a kind act of 

28 



Providence to show to future generations of that 
valley a diminutive tree that has withstood the 
ravages of the coal mining industry, and what 
might have been if nature had been protected by 
man. 

FIRST RAILROADS 

The Mount Carbon Railroad ran along the Nor- 
wegian Creek a distance of seven miles, and was 
used to ship the coal product from various mines 
along its tracks to the Schuylkill Navigation Com- 
pany in 1831. 

The rails of all roads at this time consisted of 
wooden rails, with strap iron spiked or screwed 
onto the wooden rails in order to prevent too much 
wear upon the wood. This acted as a fairly safe 
method of hauling coal when a shipment of pos- 
sibly ten or fifteen tons were shipped at one time, 
and Stephen Girard had sufficient wealth to con- 
nect his Mahanoy Plane and Girardville opera- 
tions with a railroad starting at the mines, and 
erecting an incline plane from that point to Frack- 
ville, hoisting the cars up one at a time, and then 
making up a train, running it along this railroad 
over a comparatively level tract for about two 
miles to the head of the grade, where it ran along 
what is now the public road running south in the 

29 



direction of New Castle, where another inclined 
plane was erected, down which the cars were run 
to a point where it could again be run a long dis- 
tance down an easy grade, and again incline planes 
and levels until Pottsville was reached, where the 
product was loaded upon coal boats and shipped 
down the Schuylkill River, and if necessary out 
Delaware Bay to the Atlantic and shipped thence 
to any part of the world. 

The Little Schuylkill Railroad ran to Tamaqua 
and at its completion in 1831 a grand gathering 
of residents of that section of the county held a 
monster jubilation meeting to commemorate the 
event. 

For a time the coal industry was making won- 
derful strides, but a depression occurred at 
regular intervals and great distress was felt by 
the miners and their "butties" at these intervals. 

The first strike of which there is any authentic 
record, occurred in the region when in 1835 the 
boat men on the Schuylkill Navigation Company 
Canal caused a general tie-up for several weeks. 

In 1839 the output of coal from the region 
reached high water mark and soon the necessity 
for better railroad facilities was made manifest. 



30 



P. AND R. ENTERS REGION 
In the year 1842 the Philadelphia & Reading 
Railroad Company were granted a charter to enter 
the region, and it was not long before greater rail- 
road facilities than ever before contemplated was 
the result. 

The first railroad station in Pottsville is still 
standing at a point near the Mount Carbon arch, 
having been used as a warehouse for many years 
after being abandoned as a passenger station. 
Although not very pretentious in appearance to 
the present generation, it held many a famous 
National character, either in financial or social 
affairs, who had come to inspect the coal region, 
learn the character of its people, its business men, 
and its political desires. 

The old Mansion House, which also is still stand- 
ing in Mount Carbon, was a great resort for people 
of wealth, and the grand old hills surrounding this 
property at Mount Carbon could unfold many a 
tale of adventure of the heart or purse if its trees 
and shrubbery could unfold the scenes to human 
ears. In the days of that grand old man, Henry 
Clay, National politics were freely discussed by 
men who revered that honored and respected 
statesman. 

31 



The old Mansion House was looked upon as a 
health resort during the height of its prosperity, 
but not many years elapsed before the trend of 
civilization was toward the North and East, hence 
Mount Carbon soon lost its popularity, and some 
years later the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad 
terminal and station was transferred to the corner 
of Union and Railroad streets, Pottsville, where it 
remained for many years, the station, however, be- 
ing abandoned for passengers in 1887-8, when the 
present station was built at the corner of East 
Norwegian and Railroad streets, and the old sta- 
tion used as a freight station. 

MINERS TROUBLES 

During the succeeding years, labor troubles oc- 
curred owing to the varying conditions of the coal 
market. 

For several months of the year the miners aver- 
aged fairly good returns for their labor, but a de- 
pression in the industry caused a suspension of 
work, and though good wages resulted when work 
was plentiful, a miner is generally found to be 
liberal to a fault, so that the days of plenty were 
enjoyed whilst the days of want were extremely 
exasperating, and as the coal operators had organ- 

32 



ized to protect their interests, the miners reasoned 
that if it was good for the operator, it might be 
good for the miner, hence in the year 1868 the 
Workingmen's Benevolent Association was organ- 
ized, but as it was impossible for the miner to 
retain his position if he was a member, their delib- 
erations were generally held in secret places, until 
their strength was sufficient to make demands, 
which was attempted in the following year, which 
lasted four months with but little success, owing 
to the fact that when the miners in the Schuylkill 
region went on strike, the miners from the upper 
coal regions came to operate the collieries, until, 
after a time, it was found that the upper regions 
went on strike, and the lower region miners went 
up there to take their positions, hence it was not a 
successful termination in every instance, but the 
organization of the miners today is a powerful 
one, and in recent years has assisted the men in 
various ways in gaining recognition from the rail- 
road and coal corporations. 

MOLLIE MAGUIRES 

In 1873, the organization known as the Mollie 
Maguires, Ribbon Men, or the White Boys, as 
variously termed, had created so much havoc 

33 



throughout the county, that Mr. Franklin B. 
Gowen, President of the Philadelphia & Reading 
Railway Company, and the Philadelphia & Read- 
ing Coal Company, called upon the Allan Pinker- 
ton Detective Agency to "bring evidence before 
the Courts of this and adjoining Counties whereby 
convictions could be successfully prosecuted 
against this organization, which has committed 
murders innumerable, and every time the cases 
are brought before the courts, convenient alibis 
are produced whereby the criminals escape 
justice." 

The method of the Mollie Maguires seemed to 
be the doing away of every mine boss in the coal 
region that did not favor members of their organ- 
ization in preference to men in other walks of life. 
It appears that the organization was transplanted 
here from Ireland, presumably brought about by 
opposition to the lords of that country, and 
the crimes were committed by some stranger 
brought to the region for that purpose, and after 
the crime was committed, the trail was lost, as 
alibis were promptly presented for every person 
accused. 

The Pinkerton Agency employed Detective James 
McParlan of New York, to come to the county in 

34 



disguise as a tramp, work his way into the hearts 
of the Irishmen who were thought to be interested 
in the organization, and for three years, until his 
disguise was penetrated, he had secured evidence 
of every murder, prevented some attempted mur- 
ders, and finally when accused of being a detec- 
tive, decided to go upon the stand, resulting in the 
conviction of several of the ringleaders of the 
order, who were hung in Schuylkill County for 
crimes committed there. 

Other murderers were hung in adjoining coun- 
ties through the work of Detective McParlan, who 
was known as James McKenna whilst securing 
evidence. 

The Mollie Maguires were thrown in such dis- 
order, that they disbanded and never again en- 
tered into the history of the county. 



COUNTY INSTITUTIONS 

The Miners' Hospital, located at Fountain 
Springs, near Ashland, is an institution which was 
established by an Act of the Legislature in 1879, 
since which time it has treated injured persons 
from the coal mines to the number of thousands. 
Its corridors are usually overflowing with injured 

35 



patients who receive the best medical and surgical 
attention it is possible to obtain. The institution 
is regarded as one of the best of its kind in the 
country. 

The Pottsville Hospital is an institution that is 
maintained by the assistance of the State of Penn- 
sylvania, supplemented by the personal gifts of 
the citizens of Pottsville and this section of the 
county. It has done good work since its incorpo- 
ration and fills a long felt want, for previous to 
its incorporation there was no place to take in- 
jured employees from the many railroads in the 
lower section of the county. 

The Children's Home, located at Agricultural 
Park, Pottsville, is an institution which cares for 
orphan children, and it rarely finds the number of 
dependents within its doors to be below a score or 
more. It is maintained by the free will offerings 
of the people, supplemented by appropriations 
from the State Legislature. Its work is a com- 
mendable one. 



OLD SCHUYLKILL CANAL 

The old Schuylkill Navigation Company Canal 
was opened for traffic to Mount Carbon in the 
year 1825. 

36 



Owing to the demand for some means whereby 
coal could be shipped over the canal from the coal 
workings now becoming busy industries beyond 
Mill Creek, an extension to that place was made 
in the year 1828. 

From the year 1832 to 1842, the region was en- 
joying unlimited prosperity, and owing to still 
further demands being made for greater facilities 
for the handling of coal, in 1846 it was still 
further enlarged and points along its route were 
made to accommodate larger coal barges. 

Everything was moving along nicely until the 
year of 1850 brought with it great floods, result- 
ing in the destroying of the canal locks, huge 
foundations being broken down, the dams along 
the canal bursting through their banks, doing in- 
calculable damage. 

In 1865 railroad interests were working with 
the idea of securing the right of the canal, and 
after years of opposition to the monopoly, the 
Legislature, on March 21, 1865, granted certain 
privileges to the Philadelphia & Reading corpora- 
tion, and in 1870 the canal was abandoned to 
points beyond Port Clinton. This was a great 
error for the residents of the county to tolerate, 
for it choked off all competition in the handling of 

37 



freight between Pottsville and Philadelphia, and 
along canal routes on the Atlantic coast. 

Within the past two years agitation has been 
brought about with the hope of again having the 
canals of the Atlantic coast opened up for traffic, 
arguing that with an Inland Canal route, in case 
of war with a foreign nation, the canals could 
transact business from the New England coast 
to points in the far south without the shipping in- 
terests of the country being disturbed. 



SCHUYLKILL'S RAILROAD AND TROLLEY 
FACILITIES 

It has been said, and perhaps with some founda- 
tion, that Schuylkill County has more railroads 
and railroad connections than any territory of the 
same dimensions in the United States, due to its 
coal mining industries, which require railroad 
connections with the main lines in order to ship 
their product to far distant points. 

As noted in another part of this history, the 
Philadelphia & Reading Company was the first 
corporation to enter the Anthracite coal fields on 
an extensive plan. The officers had learned some- 

38 



what about the immense fortunes to be found 
under the surface, and after purchasing small 
lines between 1830 and 1840 they finally consoli- 
dated these interests and in 1844 were granted a 
charter to enter Pottsville, prior to which time 
the station was located in Mount Carbon. 

The station at the corner of Union and Railroad 
streets was completed about 1847, and remained 
the principal landing station for visitors to Potts- 
ville until the year 1886-7. 

The Philadelphia & Reading Company had 
placed every obstacle in the way of the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad Company for several years, in 
order to keep them out of this region, but their 
efforts were frustrated, as the Pennsylvania suc- 
ceeded in gaining a foothold in 1884-5, erecting a 
station at the corner of East Norwegian and Coal 
streets, Pottsville. 

This caused the Philadelphia & Reading to pro- 
cure an up-town site, which was done by pur- 
chasing the properties at the corner of East Nor- 
wegian and Railroad streets, and in 1886-7 they 
built the station which is still in use. 

The Pennsylvania - Schuylkill Valley Division 
was therefore the means of procuring better sta- 
tion facilities from the Philadelphia & Reading, 

39 



for the station at Union Street was not well 
adapted to the use of the travelling public. 

It was necessary for the travelling public to go 
up the flight of steps on Union Street, procure 
their ticket, and await the call informing them 
what train was about to depart, when it was neces- 
sary to go down a long flight of steps to gain the 
platform located on a lower floor on Railroad 
Street. 

This station is now used as the freight depart- 
ment of the company. It is an admirable location 
for this business, and the shed in the rear of the 
building makes it convenient at all times and con- 
ditions of weather for the handling of freight. 

When the Pennsylvania-Schuylkill Valley Rail- 
road was projected, there was general rejoicing 
by the public because of the excellent facilities it 
would afford the town both from the north and 
the south, and the many passengers coming from 
the north at the present time shows it to be well 
patronized by the Schuylkill people. Prior to 
their entrance into the county, all of this traffic 
was done on the Philadelphia & Reading, hence 
the bitter opposition displayed. 

Now, however, all semblance of bitterness has 
vanished, and the lion and the lamb lie down to- 

40 



gether in perfect peace and contentment, and the 
public pays the toll. 

Between both railroads, the county is thor- 
oughly well honeycombed with railroads; how- 
ever, the Lehigh Valley traverses sections of the 
county, but for several years has not entered the 
former stopping point in Pottsville — the Penn- 
sylvania station on Coal Street, although one train 
daily runs in and out of Pottsville between this 
point and Lizzard Creek Junction which connects 
with the New York fast trains. 

The trolley service of the county is excellent. 

The People's Railway was chartered in 1865, 
and ran a horse car line between Mount Carbon 
and Twelfth Street, also out to Fishbach in Potts- 
ville. At Twelfth Street a steam railroad carried 
passengers to and fro from Minersville, the road 
not being in operation, however, until 1872. 

The Schuylkill Electric Railway Company was 
organized in 1889. This company passed into the 
hands of the Eastern Pennsylvania Railways Com- 
pany which now operates a trolley system run- 
ning from Heckscherville through Pottsville, the 
central headquarters, to Mauch Chunk, and with 
the exception of a two mile break in the chain, be- 



41 



yond that point, connects with a system that leads 
into the city of Philadelphia. 

The Schuylkill Traction Railway operates in 
the Mahanoy Valley from Locust Dale, through 
Ashland, Girardville, Mahanoy Plane, Shenan- 
doah, Mahanoy City, with branches in various 
directions. 



A FAMILY OF MERCHANTS 

The Morris family of this section of the county 
originated from the Philadelphia branch, one of 
their number becoming a National character 
through his saving the country's credit during 
the struggles with England in the series of wars 
ending in 1812. 

The Declaration of Independence contains the 
signature of Robert Morris, the above mentioned 
gentleman, who in the space of four years had be- 
come the country's most able financier. 

He was appointed by Congress as Treasurer, 
owing to his ability in projecting the National 
Bank of North America, being described as a man 
well versed in commerce and finance. His idea 
was to provide $400,000 for the nation's needs by 
disposing of shares of $400 each, which was finally 
done with great satisfaction to all concerned, in 

42 



fact, it is historically noted that "To the financial 
skill and indefatigable efforts of Mr. Morris in 
the Treausry Department, it has been thought this 
country was scarcely less indebted, than to the 
valour of her soldiers and the wisdom of her 
statesmen. Immediately public credit revived, the 
army, the members of which had been clamoring 
for money and supplies, were now pacified, and 
new impulse was given to every operation in the 
field and cabinet." 

From this family came Samuel Morris, a resi- 
dent of Berks County, locating in Pottsville, and 
entering business with his three sons. 

For a time they continued together, then in later 
years each of the three sons started a business of 
his own, John S. going to Railroad Street between 
Race and Minersville streets, which was then a 
very prominent thoroughfare in town, the rail- 
roads running down that street from the various 
mine operations along the line from Guinea Hill 
to Wadesville. 

Samuel Morris conducted a store in the prop- 
erty formerly occupied by John Ginther, No. 218 
North Centre Street. 

Richard R. Morris, the most able of the three 
sons, opened a store formerly occupied by Andrew 

43 



White, corner Centre and Mahantongo. Some time 
later he erected a large building which was then 
the marvel of the times to the people of this 
locality, being the property known as the Morris 
building, and which was purchased by the firm of 
Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart in 1892. 

Mr. Richard R. Morris was a great merchant, 
but when the inflated war prices sank to their 
normal level, and having financially aided other 
merchants in distress, he himself fell a victim to 
the times of reconstruction, and the handsome 
building, which is a monument to his enterprise, 
passed out of his hands. 

Since passing into the hands of Dives, Pomeroy 
& Stewart, it has undergone decided changes and 
improvements. 



STATE ROADS IN COUNTY 

The State of Pennsylvania enacted a law some 
years ago whereby assistance could be rendered 
by the state for the building of macadamized 
roads, providing these roads were made under the 
supervision of state officials. 

Schuylkill County has availed herself of this 
opportunity, and many miles of roads have been 

44 



built since this enactment passed, and many more 
miles are contemplated. 

These roads are substantially made, and with 
but little care will give many years of service. 
One stretch extends from Pottsville to Schuylkill 
Haven, a distance of two miles, well rounded and 
drained, in order to shed the water, thereby given 
a good solid roadbed, excellently well adapted to 
the needs of motorists or drivers. 

Another section of the road built under the 
supervision of the state, is that between a point 
near Schuylkill Haven and extending to Friedens- 
burg, a distance of four miles. 

Four miles of this same style road leads into 
Orwigsburg from south of Schuylkill Haven. 

In West Penn Township, another section of four 
miles has been built, and is well adapted for the 
use of the many travellers from that section. 

At Ringtown there is a one mile stretch, and at 
Pinegrove another stretch of a mile. 

Altogether the county possesses about twenty- 
five miles, and the prospects are that the near 
future will see many more added to its thorough- 
fares. 



45 



FIRES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY 

Sunday, September 10th, 1848, was never for- 
gotten by the inhabitants of Pottsville who re- 
sided there at that time, and those who still sur- 
vive, recall with horror the fire that broke out on 
that fateful hour of eleven o'clock in the night. 
Hay and straw in a building on the corner of East 
Arch and Railroad streets had ignited, and before 
the fire department realized it, the entire block 
was ablaze at one time. Many were rendered 
homeless, and the damage ran into the hundred 
thousand dollars. 

Friday, June 20th, 1873, was another day to be 
remembered by Pottsville inhabitants, when a fire 
broke out in Marzlin's planing mill, and burning 
around the entire block, caused another one hun- 
dred thousand dollars loss, and the fire depart- 
ments of Saint Clair, Minersville and Mahanoy 
City were called upon for assistance, which was 
freely given. 

Sunday, March 19th, 1876, was another sad day 
for Pottsvillians, for at 5.30 in the morning they 
were routed out of bed as the cry of fire spread, 
and the old Town Hall, in which all of the town 
Odd Fellow Lodges were tenants and stockholders, 

46 



were burned out and their entire paraphernalia 
destroyed. Many business houses also suffered 
complete destruction. 

Shenandoah likewise suffered a destructive fire 
on Nov. 12th, 1883, when the central business 
portion of the town was destroyed. The Mining 
Herald printing office of T. J. Foster was amongst 
the number. After this fire the firm removed to 
Pottsville, and Pottsville people were invited to 
join in forming a company to push forward the 
work such as this firm was doing. They refused 
to do so, and Mr. Foster, going to Scranton, re- 
ceived financial support, resulting in the magnifi- 
cent establishment such as the Scranton Inter- 
national Correspondence Schools have become. 

January 2, 1911, a fire broke out in a Miners- 
ville home at two o'clock in the morning. The 
town firemen responded, and after two buildings 
had been burned, several people in a maudlin con- 
dition notified the firemen that there were children 
in the house when the fire had broken out. Why 
they did not tell the firemen earlier is attributed to 
ignorance, but to the horror of the men who 
worked so faithfully, the report proved to be too 
true, and five children had been incinerated when 
their little lives might have been saved if the fire- 

47 



men had been notified. Not one man in the ranks 
would have hesitated to take his life in his own 
hands to save the children if he had known it. 
At the hearing before the coroner's jury, the 
parents were found guilty of negligence. 



COUNTY FLOODS 

Occasionally floods visit the anthracite region, 
and rarely do they pass without creating serious 
damage. 

In the year 1850 the floods did great damage. 
Tumbling Run dams, which were used to feed the 
canal, were destroyed by the breaking through of 
the breasts, the rush of water carrying with it 
great destruction along the line of the canal. Canal 
locks were swept away as so much paper, although 
they had been built of ponderous rock. 

In 1859 another series of floods caused residents 
of Saint Clair to flee to the hills, but besides high 
water, no serious damage was done. 

A few years ago, Mahanoy City was visited with 
a flood resulting in the bursting of the water dam 
north of the town, and damage in the town proper 
was considerable. 

On May 23, 1910, Pottsville had severe rain 

48 



storms, and the waters rose to such a height that 
it flowed through the Philadelphia & Reading sta- 
tion in a stream having the proportions of a river. 
The dam above the Eastern Steel Mill burst 
through its breastwork, carrying many large 
pieces of lumber and wreckage with it, and after 
passing through the mill rushed down into the 
low sections of Pottsville, causing the damage to 
be extremely large, the county losses being esti- 
mated at a quarter of a million dollars, as the re- 
sult of this heavy precipitation, which was 
general. 



SCHUYLKILL'S COAL OUTPUT 

The amount of coal mined in the county from 
the time of its incorporation taken every tenth 
year, is as follows : 

For the year 1820 357 tons; 

1830 174,734 tons; 

1840 864,384 tons; 

1850 3,358,899 tons; 

1860 8,513,123 tons; 

1870 15,849,899 tons ; 

1880 23,437,242 tons ; 

1890 35,855,174 tons; 

And though the National and State officials may 

49 

4 



attempt to designate or estimate the amount of 
coal still remaining beneath the earth's surface, 
there is no danger of the present coal output in 
the county vanishing entirely, or at least for hun- 
dreds of years, no matter what experts say to the 
contrary. 

When the county was first incorporated, the cry 
of coal exhaustion was raised, and after working 
above water levels, for years, there was no idea 
that other levels would be as productive for a long 
time afterwards, yet such was the case, and sup- 
posedly worked out mines, which were worked in 
the 40's and 50's, are this day proving to be the 
most valuable operations now working in the 
county. 

It is not necessary to waste the coal production ; 
however, there is still plenty of coal to be found, 
and for generations there will be more to follow. 



INDIAN SPRINGS AND PATHS 

Early settlers in the county have recorded the 
fact that not many Indians made their permanent 
abode in the county, but there are some excellent 
records of their having made this section their 
habitation at various times of the year. 

50 



One point referred to as being a stopping point 
for the early Indians is that of the spring out 
Mahantongo Street, near Twentieth Street, Potts- 
ville, where a never-failing spring of water flows 
cheerfully along. Some years ago relics of Indian 
utensils were found in this locality. 

Another spring that early writers mention is 
the one on Indian Run road, presumably named in 
honor of the visits of these primeval people, 
whether as a permanent abode or as a place of 
rest whilst migrating from one point to another. 
No matter which is correct, it is a typical place 
for a rendezvous, and many a weary traveller has 
cooled his brow and slaked his thirst at this de- 
lightfully cool stream of water. 

It has been stated in former years that the loca- 
tion now occupied as the Charles Baber Cemetery 
was a place of residence of the early Indian, and 
as there was a stream of water usually to be 
found here, it is altogether likely that this was 
one of their temporary abiding places. 

Early Schuylkill County history states that the 
John Filbert and Edward Peale farms below 
Schuylkill Haven were permanent settlements of 
the early Indian, and that they raised crops in 
this locality. This may be correct, for more crimes 

51 



were committed by roving Indians in the lower 
section of the county than any other point, per- 
haps caused by wandering marauders who sought 
temporary shelter under the tent of some friendly 
tribe. 

Spear heads, tomahawks, corn pounders, and 
various Indian utensils have been plowed up in 
the Ringtown Valley in the upper section of the 
county, presumably from some habitation of the 
Indian travelling from one section to another, or 
perhaps camp quarters which gave place of refuge 
to those who travelled from one tribe to another 
across the state from the Susquehanna to the Dela- 
ware, carrying messages to and fro during war 
times. 

No Indian maiden, however, could have a more 
beautiful setting than the falls of Tumbling Run, 
and had Longfellow been a witness to a periodical 
visit of such a maiden, he perhaps would have 
given the world a rival to his famous poem, 
"Hiawatha." 



LOOKING BACKWARD 

In recalling the days of 1823, in Pottsville, a 
writer states that John Pott had built a two-story 
brick building on the site of the Merchants' Na- 

52 



tional Bank, which was at that time considered a 
neat and attractive building. 

A two-story log house occupied the corner of 
Centre and Howard Avenue, opposite the Trinity 
Episcopal Church, and a few scattered buildings 
stood where the present large Dives, Pomeroy & 
Stewart building now stands. Quite a contrast 
from the days of nearly eighty years ago. 

Market Street was laid out by Burd Patterson 
and William Pott, the latter being granted land 
by his father for the purpose, hence Garfield 
Square owes its wide expanse to the generosity of 
the Pott family. 

Henry O'Neil, a Frenchman, built a house at the 
corner of Centre and West Arch streets, the south- 
east corner, in this year, and David Phillips built 
two stone houses on the site now occupied by the 
Eastern Pennsylvania Railways Company's offices. 

Ex-Sheriff John T. Werner, a gentleman well 
known by the present generation, came from Leb- 
anon County, and became one of the county's most 
widely known and greatly admired grand old men. 

In 1825 the town took a prosperous advance and 
built up rapidly, but during the second term of 
President Jackson in the years 1834 and 1837, it 



53 



suffered great depression, similar to that endured 
by the entire country. 

In 1838 it revived, however, and a better condi- 
tion prevailed. 

COUNTY MINERALS 

Attempts have been made at various times to 
unearth other minerals than coal, in Schuylkill 
County, but with varying success. Iron ore has 
been found in small quantities, but not sufficiently 
to make its removal a permanent success. 

Gold has been reported from various farming 
sections within recent years, but there is doubt 
as to the quantity of gold being found in the 
county in any degree worthy of note. 

Sand has been taken out of the earth at various 
parts of the county, and recently an excellent 
quality of sand has been found near Hammon, on 
the Schuylkill & Susquehanna branch of the Phila- 
delphia & Reading Company, and prospecting will 
in the near future be pushed forward to success. 
There is no doubt about it being in paying quan- 
tities, and a careful analysis of it has disclosed 
the fact that the famous Cementon Works, in the 
adjoining county of Lehigh, will not be the only 
operation of its kind, for this sand is sure to prove 

54 



a competitor of the cement works, and that the 
future will find the greatest building projects in 
the world using concrete materials from this re- 
gion of the county. 

Besides this deposit of sand, there are several 
most desirable stone quarries on the same land, 
in fact, the stone was of such value that when the 
Schuylkill Valley Division of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad Company ran through this section, the 
stone taken from this location was used in the 
building of the massive, magnificent arches 
erected by that company along its lines between 
Adamsdale and Pottsville. The product improves 
with exposure, as the arches of the company will 
prove from thorough investigation, besides it is of 
a most desirable color. The quarries will in some 
future day give up its product for massive build- 
ings that are sure to be required in this growing 
section of the state, and perhaps they will be im- 
mense sky-scrapers. 

Another mineral that has been worked for more 
than thirty years has almost escaped the notice 
of county inhabitants, viz., smut, or the outcrop- 
ping of the coal veins. This smut is found in 
some localities to be several feet in thickness, of a 
soft, clammy substance. It is gathered and 

55 



shipped to points where it is manufactured into 
shoe polish, stove polish, varnishes, and other 
preparations of this nature. Some years ago when 
the stripping of the Saint Clair Coal Company 
was started, this smut was very prominent and 
an analysis proved it to be valuable, but not in 
sufficient quantities at this point to be removed 
for commercial purposes. 



SCHUYLKILL'S POPULATION 

In 1811 when the county was formed, there was 
estimated about 6,000 people residing within its 
confines. 

1820 the number advanced to 11,311 

1830 20,744 

1840 29,053 

1850 60,713 

1860 89,510 

1870 116,428 

1880 128,784 

1890 154,163 

1900 172,927 

1910 207,894 

56 



Nearly every town in the county received part 
of the increase, the population of the principal 
towns given by the census of 1910 being : 

Pottsville 20,236 

Shenandoah 25,774 

Mahanoy City 15,936 

Tamaqua 9,462 

Minersville 7,240 

Ashland 6,855 

St. Clair 6,455 

Schuylkill Haven 

Girardville 4,396 

Frackville 3,118 

Port Carbon 2,678 

New Philadelphia 2,512 

Palo Alto 1,873 

Orwigsburg 1,801 

Pinegrove 1,352 

Cressona 1,807 

Gordon 1,185 

Middleport 1,100 

Auburn 921 

Kingtown 723 

Port Clinton 491 

Mount Carbon 335 



57 



Landingville 268 

New Ringgold 266 

Shenandoah, the metropolis of the county, has a 
large foreign population, many of whom are be- 
coming the best citizens of the county. They are 
aggressive, eager to learn, and before the first 
generation has reached their majority, in many 
instances they have become the leading citizens. 



58 




I i 

I SCHUYLKILL TOWNS 

I | 

POTTSVILLE 

"The sleeping fox catches no poultry." — Franklin. 

T is very evident that the town of Potts- 
ville has not been like the sleeping fox, 
for she catches most everything worth 
while that comes along in the county of Old 
Schuylkill. 

There has been much said pro and con about the 
laying out of the town, but su.'nce it to say that the 
credit for this found r "ion rests with the Pott 
family who came here in 1806, John Pott purchas- 
ing a furnace from Messrs. Reese and Thomas. 

The town was laid out in 1816, though there 
is enough evidence to prove that several families 
had located on the present site of the town even 
before the year 1800. 

Mr. Pott came of a family famed for their 
knowledge of the iron industry, their former resi- 
dence being near the city of Philadelphia, and 

59 



when John Pott arrived in this section, the first 
thing he attempted was to erect an iron industrial 
plant that proved his judgment was not in error. 

It is supposed he had some knowledge of the 
coal deposits in this locality, and looked forward 
to the day when he would cast the molten metal 
from furnaces heated by anthracite coal. 

The first thing he did after purchasing the fur- 
nace was to erect homes for workmen. This was 
done in 1807. 

After the death of Mr. Pott his remains were 
interred in the plot of ground in the rear of the 
present Centre Street School Building, which for 
many years was the burial ground for the inhabi- 
tants of Pottsville, in fact, remained so until an 
Act of the Legislature in the year 1897, passed 
through the efforts of Hon. G. C. Schrink, the 
Representative from the Fourth District of 
Schuylkill County, permitted the School Board of 
the District of Pottsville to remove the remains 
lying therein, and transfer them to some other 
suitable ground dedicated for that purpose, the 
ground afterwards to be kept in presentable condi- 
tion and to be used as a public school playground, 
which is now the case, the ground above mentioned 
being that running from West Race Street up 

60 



Second Street to Laurel Street, in the rear of the 
Grammar School Building on Centre Street. 

The bodies were removed, but the work was a 
trying one for members of the Pottsville School 
Board, who were responsible for the careful re- 
moval of the same. 

One family, that of Septimus Thomas, entered 
strenuous opposition, but the matter was finally 
settled to the complete satisfaction of every one 
concerned. 

The present site is a most beautiful park used 
for a most beautiful cause, that of fresh air and 
recreation for the public school children. 

JOHN POTT MONUMENT 

The monument erected to the memory of John 
Pott rests on this plot of ground, being a granite 
of huge proportions and standing near the rear 
of the school building. 

The tracts of land upon which Pottsville rests 
was therefore originally known as that being con- 
veyed to John Pott, who in turn conveyed to num- 
erous other parties up to the year 1816, which was 
finally conveyed to the Schuylkill Navigation Com- 
pany, and many of our residents who have pur- 

61 



chased property in Pottsville find this name in 
connection with their deeds and transfers. 

Pottsville was compelled for some years to go to 
the little town of Mount Carbon when it was 
necessary to take a train or boat out of town, and 
the old station remains standing near the archway 
that opens under the Philadelphia & Reading Rail- 
road at Mount Carbon, as referred to in another 
article. 

In the year 1824 Pottsville had but few houses, 
but in three years it had grown to hundreds. Busi- 
ness circles began to look upon it as the coming 
town of this section, and accordingly large hotels 
were erected for the influx of coal magnates, spec- 
ulators, boatmen, and others who were flocking to 
the section to participate in the speculative world 
in which thousands of dollars were won or lost 
daily in the rush for coal land. 

The stage coach made its regular trips from 
Philadelphia with relays at various points, Potts- 
ville being one of them, and there are inhabitants 
living today who can recall the last of the stage 
coach drivers who had become a familiar figure 
along the route, the one referred to being old 
Uncle "Andy" Irwin, whose home was located in 



62 



Saint Clair at the northern end of the street now 
termed Second Street in that town. 

Old "Andy's" sayings were choice bits of Ameri- 
canisms acquired after leaving his home on the 
coast of Wales, taking to the American method of 
living with a relish. He was a past master in the 
art of witticism, railery, singing and dancing, and 
his old coach has but within the past decade fallen 
to decay at the wheelwright shop at the corner of 
North Centre Street and Railroad Street, Fish- 
bach, Pottsville. 

The Old Pioneer Furnace is remembered by 
those who frequented the "Orchard" section of the 
town, and for many years was run successfully by 
the Charles M. Atkins family, who still remain 
honored residents of our town. 

POTTSVILLE MADE COUNTY SEAT 

It was in the year 1842 that Pottsville secured 
the coveted title of county seat, after continuous 
effort of 15 years, therefore had the same removed 
to Pottsville, and it remains to this day, even 
though an attempt was made to take part of the 
county affairs to the new proposed county of Quay, 
in which Hazleton sought the honor of being the 
new county seat. 

63 



There were many iron industries, machine 
shops, mine supply manufactories, and mine work- 
ers supplies judiciously handled by the town, the 
old George Snyder and Benjamin Hey wood min- 
ing machinery shops being located on the site of 
the Eastern Pennsylvania Railways Company 
Power House at Palo Alto, and it ran successfully 
until one day a strike occurred in the ranks of the 
employees. Mr. Heywood is reported as stating to 
the men that if they went on strike, he would close 
the works, never to resume. 

The workmen had heard this story repeated in 
the past, and therefore paid no attention to it. 
They went on strike, the shops were closed, and 
they never again opened for the same purpose, and 
finally went to decay until purchased by the above 
company. 

MACHINERY FOR COLLIERIES 

The firm of Sparks & Parker of later years, ori- 
ginated from the endeavors of Jabez Sparks, John 
Sparks and Edward Greathead to erect machinery 
for the collieries in 1855. They accomplished their 
purpose and conducted a large business. The 
death of Mr. Greathead, in 1855, and John Sparks 
retiring in 1860, Jabez Sparks continued, asso- 

64 




HENRY CLAY MONUMENT 



dating himself with his brother-in-law, Hiram 
Parker, under the title of Sparks & Parker, the 
firm remaining in business up to a recent date. 
Their place of business was on East Norwegian 
Street where the Pennsylvania Railroad yards are 
now located, removing to Fishbach in 1885 when 
the Pennsylvania Company purchased the site of 
their plant for warehouse and yard purposes. 

Pott & Vastine were other large machinery 
builders located on Coal Street near the present 
Washington Street bridge. 

The old Snyder Foundry at Coal and East Arch 
Streets, and the Wrenn Brothers iron works on 
Coal Street, and several other smaller machine 
works located on the same street, conducted suc- 
cessful works for years, doing the work for indi- 
vidual operators, and when the Philadelphia & 
Reading Company came into the coal field purchas- 
ing the properties of the individual operators, it 
Jpecame necessary for them to acquire their own 
Repair and machine shops, hence most of the above 
shops sold out to this company, and they at the 
present time represent the largest industry Potts- 
ville possesses. 

In the coal mining section of this little history, 
no mention was made of the absorption of the indi- 

65 



vidual coal operations in the county. This came 
about principally through the Philadelphia & 
Reading Company owning the railroads through- 
out the county. The individuals were compelled to 
ship their product over the lines, and if an opera- 
tor violated in any way the injunctions laid upon 
them by the railroad company, they usually found 
a shortage of cars when they most desired them, 
hence, they found themselves at the mercy of the 
railroad corporation. If the company notified 
them that only three days each week would be 
worked, woe betide the individual who would at- 
tempt to work a greater number of days, for to 
them would be doled out such a shortage of cars 
that they would be eventually compelled to lose 
more than the three days in the first place desig- 
nated. 

The order of the day became "no competition," 
and as the railroad carrying company was eagerly 
buying up the coal companies throughout the 
county, it was foreseen that in a short time they 
would possess all of the valuable properties, and 
this proved to be the outcome. 

Franklin B. Gowen, the President of the Phila- 
delphia & Reading Company, was a man of great 
foresight. He saw what the future had in store 

66 



for this company, and therefore purchased all of 
the coal lands that the company could handle, but 
he was fifty years in advance of his time. They 
termed him a wild speculator, but his judgment 
has proven to be the means of accumulating vast 
wealth for this great mining industry. 

The Tilt Silk Mill is another of Pottsville's 
greatest industries, and the product from this 
great industry finds its way into the markets of 
the entire world. 

There are hosiery mills, garment mills, clothing 
factories, hat factories, shoe factories, meat pack- 
ing houses, lumber mills, the trees for which are 
found in some sections of our county, whilst the 
farm products are of the best to be found any- 
where in the world, the average Schuylkill Coun- 
tian taking pride in the latest method of handling 
fruit, until the day is not far distant when their 
fruit will be of the first quality. 

POTTSVILLE PLACES OF WORSHIP 

The churches of the new city of Pottsville are 
amongst the finest in the land. Its proportion of 
membership ranks high, the various denomina- 
tions being: 

The First Methodist Episcopal Church ; 
67 



St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church ; 
First Presbyterian Church ; 
Second Presbyterian Church ; 
St. John the Baptist German Catholic Church; 
The English Evangelical Lutheran Church ; 
The Trinity Lutheran Church ; 
Zion's Evangelical Church; 
United Evangelical Church; 
Trinity Episcopal Church ; 
Chapel of the Resurrection; Chas. Baber Cem- 
etery ; 

St. Paul's Chapel, Mechanicsville ; 

St. Luke's Chapel, Fishbach; 

First German Reformed Church ; 

Trinity Reformed Church ; 

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church ; 

Welsh Congregational Church ; 

First Baptist Church ; 

Jewish Church; 

First Church of Christ (Scientist). 

NEW POTTSVILLE CITY GOVERNMENT 

In the Centennial year — 1911, the new form of 
government for Pottsville will become operative, 
at which time the city form will be adopted, the 
citizens having voted for city charter, which 



passed successfully in November, 1910. This will 
mean an entire new Common and Select Council, 
Mayor, Treasurer, etc. 

The public schools of the city are considered of 
the best ; pupils leaving here find success in what- 
ever calling they may pursue, many of the former 
pupils now holding the most responsible positions 
to be found anywhere in the world. 

The County Court House and the County Prison 
are both model institutions, conducted in a most 
satisfactory manner and with credit to the county, 
in no matter what form of politics they may have 
risen from. 

The railroad facilities of the city are excellent, 
the Philadelphia & Reading, the Pennsylvania 
Railroad and the Lehigh Valley entering the city. 

The Philadelphia & Reading line runs through 
from Philadelphia to Williamsport, and is one of 
the principal railroad divisions of the country, 
fifty trains arriving and departing from Pottsville 
daily. 

The coal sent through this section leads the 
world, and there is no doubt but that the region's 
product of coal furnishes light and heat to a large 
proportion of the inhabitants of the globe, for 
during one of the coal region strikes, great dis- 

69 



tress was the result, not only in our own country, 
but that of foreign countries. 

The Pennsylvania Railroad entered the Schuyl- 
kill region in 1885, and is the main line of the 
Philadelphia & Erie branch, having trains arriv- 
ing and departing to the number of thirty daily. 
This company likewise has a large coal carrying 
business, having large coal interests in this and 
adjoining counties, the product of which passes 
through the city of Pottsville en route to the ends 
of the earth. 

Pottsville honored its soldier dead and living by 
erecting a beautiful granite Soldiers' Monument, 
which is located on the public square on Market 
Street, between Fourth Street and Sixth Street. 
The figures in relief upon the same represent an 
infantryman, an artilleryman, a cavalryman and 
a sailor, with the figure of a statue of Liberty, 
wreath in hand with which to crown the victors. 
It is a fine work of art, and is in commemoration 
of the 13,000 soldier dead or living furnished by 
the county of Schuylkill during the Civil War. 

FINANCES OF POTTSVILLE 
The Banks of Pottsville are substantial insti- 
tutions of finance, and are conducted by the city's 
most able, conscientious and respected gentlemen. 

70 



The Safe Deposit Bank, The Miners' National 
Bank, The Pennsylvania National Bank, The 
Merchants National Bank, The Schuylkill Trust 
Company and The Union Safe Deposit Banks are 
all institutions that safely guard the deposits of 
our residents, amounting into the millions of 
dollars. 

IMMENSE ROLLING MILLS 

Pottsville is favored with an iron industrial 
plant that is considered one of great importance 
to the iron trade. It is not one of the largest in 
the world, but it ranks high in that line, and is a 
source of great benefit to the thousand workmen 
residing in that city. 

The old Snyder & Haywood machine shops had 
furnished the material for the Pioneer Furnaces 
lying on an island south of Pottsville, a plant in 
which Anthracite coal was first experimented with 
as fuel for making pig iron. These furnaces 
proved to the world that Anthracite was a valu- 
able commercial product for the manufacture of 
pig iron. In 1853, the old Pottsville Rolling Mills, 
located at Fishbach, were having financial diffi- 
culties, and when the mills passed through the 
hands of the Sheriff, Charles M. Atkins purchased 

71 



the same, the former owners having been Edward 
Yardley and John Burnish, trading as Yardley 
& Co. 

Mr. Atkins was associated with his brother, 
Hanson Atkins, and after purchasing the plant, 
enlarged the same, and likewise purchased the 
Pioneer Furnaces and enlarged them also. They 
found it convenient to use Anthracite coal, and 
therefore operated a colliery for that purpose at 
Gilberton. These three plants made wonderful 
progress for some years, becoming advance indus- 
tries of their kind in the country. 

In 1865, when the war for the preservation of 
the Union was at its point of termination, both the 
Pioneer Furnaces and the Pottsville Rolling Mills 
were greatly enlarged and improved. Later the 
name of the company became that of the Pottsville 
Iron and Steel Company, with Charles M. Atkins 
as the president, and the company continued along 
the lines of successful operation. In 1872 they 
were again enlarged, keeping abreast of the times. 
However, some years later, depression in the iron 
industry caused several years idleness, and after 
a series of legal complications, the mills at Fish- 
bach passed into the hands of the present owners, 
the Eastern Steel Company. The works were very 

72 



greatly enlarged and the latest methods adopted 
for the manufacture of iron and steel products. 
Today it is a great industrial plant, one of the first 
plants in the city of Pottsville, employing as it 
does a thousand or more employees who assist in 
giving Pottsville much of its prosperity. Some of 
the product is used in the greatest of world im- 
provements, such as the great subway lines of 
New York, the structural iron and steel necessary 
for the erection of the famous United States 
"Dreadnoughts" being built by the Navy of our 
country, and likewise structural work for vast 
railroad operations in this and foreign countries. 

POTTSVILLE'S BIG MACHINE WORKS 

In 1834, when the demands for mining machin- 
ery became very pronounced in this section of the 
county, George W. Snyder and Benjamin Hay- 
wood, two of the town's most enterprising men, 
opened a machine shop, moulding shop, blacksmith 
shop and car shop combined. 

This shop became a prominent institution, and 
extremely convenient, being the fourth of its kind 
in the entire United States, the other three being 
as follows : 

Rush & Muhlenberg Works at Bushkill, Phila. ; 
73 



Fort Pitt Foundry, Pittsburg, and the third at 
East Boston, Mass. 

There was a great demand for the product from 
the new machine shop and the incorporators were 
constantly employed upon some new engine, or 
other mining machinery, therefore, it was but 
natural for the Philadelphia & Reading Coal and 
Iron Company to endeavor to procure them for 
their own when they had entered the field of coal 
mining, and having bought the interests of many 
individual operators in the county, found it neces- 
sary to own their own shops, so in 1882 they pur- 
chased the shops from Messrs. Snyder and Hay- 
wood, and they today form part of that great insti- 
tution known as the Pottsville shops of the Phila- 
delphia & Reading Coal and Iron Company, in 
which the great engines, pumps, tanks, &c, are 
manufactured for the use of the many collieries 
of this company scattered throughout the region. 

A large storehouse is also found on Coal Street 
where duplicate parts of most of the machinery is 
to be found in readiness to fill an emergency order 
in case of a break in the machinery at any of the 
mines. 

A thousand or more workmen are employed at 
the various shops of this company located on Coal 

74 



Street, which is supplied with its own electricity- 
generated at the rear of the old Snyder & Hay- 
wood foundry, corner Coal and East Minersville 
streets. This plant supplies all the offices with 
light besides the various shops, which is a great 
convenience to workmen employed at night upon 
intricate machine work. The company is equipped 
to manufacture its own bolts and nuts, a new de- 
partment having been added within the past year 
for this puprose on Coal and East Norwegian. 

A compressed air plant is also used to advant- 
age in the boiler and machine departments. 

Taken altogether these shops are a great aid to 
the company in all its various branches of work, 
and is without doubt the largest of its kind in this 
section of the country. 



POTTSVILLE IN BRIEF 

Its salubrious climate is admitted by physicians 
as being beneficial to many inhabitants, situated 
as it is at a considerable height above the sea. 
This fact is demonstrated by the many residents 
who have reached a long span of years. 

Its eldest resident is Anthony Redelberger, who 
celebrated his centenary this year and gives 

75 



promise of more years to come. It has several 
nonogenarians, many octogenarians, and many 
others who come within a few years of reaching 
the latter term of years. 

Its railroad facilities are such as to carry a 
passenger to Philadelphia in slightly more than 
two hours, a distance of 94 miles. 

Its churches are commodious, the pulpits being 
filled with learned theologians, whilst music of 
the highest order intersperse the services. 

Its merchants are men above the average, with 
stores equal to those of metropolitan cities, the 
Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart Department Store hold- 
ing the honor of being the largest and most popu- 
lar store in the city. 

Its streets are paved with chemically treated 
wood block for eight squares, running from Union 
Street on the south to Harrison Street on the 
north ; West Norwegian and West Market for sev- 
eral squares being paved with brick ; Railroad and 
all other streets for eight squares mentioned 
above, running east from Centre to Railroad be- 
ing paved with Belgian blocks, whilst the other 
streets of the city are macadamized, making 
motoring or driving a delightful recreation. 

Its hills are picturesque, and from their sum- 
76 



mits give a view of beauty rarely found within 
a city's limits. 

Its musicians and musical organizations are 
capable of rendering, either in vocal or instru- 
mental music, the most difficult works of music 
ever written. The Third Brigade Band being an 
organization of National reputation, whilst the 
recent production of Handel's "Samson," in the 
Methodist Church, was faultlessly rendered by a 
chorus of nearly 125, with a large orchestra ac- 
companiment. The Pottsville Symphony Orches- 
tra renders classical music. 

Its homes are well constructed, roomy, commo- 
dious, and of superb architectural design, the 
homes of workingmen being far above the average 
city home. 

Its water, whilst not filtered, is the purest that 
nature can produce, clear as crystal, pure and 
wholesome, and in quantities much in excess of 
the city's requirements. 

Its homes are heated by Anthracite coal burning 
methods, furnaces, steam heating and hot water 
appliances, whilst the central portion of the city 
is supplied with steam heat from a corporation. 

Its streets and homes are lighted by gas and 
electric light, from the best known methods, and 

77 



in sufficient quantity to give entire satisfaction, 
the same being furnished by public corporations. 

Its farming products are brought to the city 
fresh from mother earth in large quantities almost 
daily from nearby rural districts. 

Its fruits are largely produced near its door, 
and the quantity and quality is steadily improving. 

Its health-producing qualities are admitted by 
physicians, and not many years will pass by, ere 
Fresh Air Sanatoriums will look down upon the 
city from the lofty summits within its domain. 

Its future prospects of becoming a city of 60,- 
000 is admittedly bright, and the project can be 
carried out by annexing the suburban towns and 
villages. 

Its Henry Clay monument on South Second 
Street is in memory of that famous statesman who 
was greatly admired by Pottsvillians, and some 
future day will see the much looked for public 
park that was originally intended for this location. 

Its people are principally native born, frugal, 
peace-loving citizens, but when necessary, they 
always respond to the call for help. They are 
descended from sturdy German stock, principally. 

Its schools are sending forth throughout the 



78 



world, men and women who become leaders in 
every chosen profession. 

Its borough government has been conservative 
and well managed, and the new city government 
is expected to be likewise. 

Its hotels are high class, and conducted by able 
and most honorable business men, and the future 
will find them prepared for every emergency. 

It's a city, first, last and all the time, ready with 
open arms to welcome the stranger within its 
gates. 



SHENANDOAH 



Shenandoah, the metropolis of Schuylkill 
County, lacks the beauty of the county seat. The 
facilities for railroad traffic, being on a branch 
road of the Philadelphia & Reading, likewise the 
Pennsylvania, is good, but may be improved. The 
Lehigh Valley also runs through the town. Its 
principal industries are the mining of coal, and 
manufacturing of garments, &c. It has been said 
that the nationalities of the town represent twenty 
different languages, and the cosmopolitan manner 
of living is one of its most prominent features. 

Whilst the business houses have greatly im- 

79 



proved the past few years, the inhabitants are 
crowded for lack of building space, due to the sur- 
rounding property being under the control of the 
coal corporations, who find it inconvenient for 
them to lease much of the land, for when once 
leased, it is a difficult matter to terminate the lease 
in case of a necessity to remove the coal beneath 
the homes erected upon the ground, and when 
damage to property occurs, the home owner re- 
sorts to the Courts to compel the corporations to 
indemnify him for the damage to his property. 
Thus, land is becoming more scarce for building 
purposes yearly, and the future is a serious prob- 
lem for the town authorities to face. 

It possesses churches of every description, sub- 
stantial banking institutions, and an excellent pub- 
lic school system. It has been stated by public 
school teachers that the foreign children, though 
difficult to instill into them a good foundation, are 
apt pupils when once started, and in many cases 
carry the honors away from the native born 
children. 

It owns its own water supply, but for several 
years past it has been inadequate for the purpose, 
the rapid growth of the town being such as to 
cause a water shortage in case of drought during 

80 



summer. This has occurred two years in suc- 
cession. 

The Schuylkill Traction Company runs through 
the town, and connects with Girardville and Ash- 
land on the west, and Mahanoy City on the east. 

It has several musical organizations, but since 
the disbanding of the famous Grant Band, it has 
not reached the highest musical standard such as 
the above organization had maintained. 

In the year 1883, a serious conflagration swept 
over the town rendering many homeless, and de- 
stroying the principal business section of the town. 
It was not long, however, before the town had 
been built on a grander and larger scale than ever 
before. Today it is well established, and with its 
paved streets, excellent fire department, and 
everything necessary for protection to life and 
limb, it has a most decidedly bright future 
before it. 



MAHANOY CITY 



This town is located upon the main line of the 
Williamsport division of the Philadelphia & Read- 
ing Railroad, and has excellent service on the 
Lehigh Valley Railroad, but the Pennsylvania 

81 



Kailroad does not enter the town proper, taking 
passengers, however, within a mile of town. 

It was first settled in 1859, but incoporated into 
a borough in 1863. It is very prosperous, its in- 
dustries being the mining of coal, several iron in- 
dustries and machine works, garment factories, 
&c, and has perhaps the longest stretch of paved 
street in any town in the county. It lies in a 
valley with coal mines lined up along the hillsides. 
The town suffers greatly from the lack of build- 
ing space owing to these operations, the corpora- 
tions being unwilling to lease the land for build- 
ing purposes owing to commercial reasons. 

Its fire department is one of the best in the 
county, its water supply far superior to that of 
Shenandoah. 

It is located on the line of the Schuylkill Trac- 
tion Company lines. 

Many of the citizens that now reside there had 
served during the Civil War from other towns. 

It has several substantial banks, excellent pub- 
lic schools, churches of many and various denom- 
inations owing to its population being composed 
of many nations in a similar degree to that of 
Shenandoah. 



82 



ASHLAND and GIRARDVILLE 

Ashland, the little town that starts at the foot 
of a hill and in one broad sweep takes up a thor- 
oughfare that is on a steady, but easy incline, 
shows that principal street off to great advantage 
with its paving of good brick. The town has 
sturdy business people, good churches and schools, 
and is located on the main line of the Philadelphia 
& Reading Railroad, on the Williamsport Divi- 
sion, also having the Lehigh Valley Railroad run- 
ning through the town. The Schuylkill Traction 
Company has its headquarters here, and is the 
extreme western end of that road, but is connected 
with the towns farther west by excellent trolley 
line service. 

Girardville, the town named after Stephen 
Girard, was incorporated in 1872, and the wealth 
of this famous Philadelphian was greatly aug- 
mented by his interests here. The headquarters 
of the Girard Estate is located here, and all of the 
wealth that has been taken from the earth for this 
estate has found its way into the pockets of the 
City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. 

It is rather a misfortune for the county that 
some of this wealth was not allowed to remain 

83 



here and used to advantage for the upbuilding of 
the town and county. 

The great Girard College, of Philadelphia, 
which has been maintained by this estate, how- 
ever, has done much toward educating the orphan 
children of the mining region, many of the par- 
ents of whom have lost their lives in the hazard- 
ous calling of miner. Some of the boys educated 
in the College have been a credit to the county as 
well as to their surviving relatives, many of them 
having gained wide knowledge which in after 
years gave them superior advantage over their 
fellow playmates or school mates. 

If some of the vast wealth of the Girard Estate 
was utilized to reward acts of heroism in the 
mines, there is no doubt but that much money 
would be used up in placing these rewards, for 
there is no place in the world where more acts 
of heroism is displayed than the hundreds and 
thousands of feet beneath the surface where the 
toiler sees no daylight from his entrance into the 
slope or shaft until his return to the surface again. 
Their acts are never, or rarely ever, brought to 
the attention of the masses, yet they are being 
accomplished daily, and frequently the hero loses 
his life, and the children and widow are soon for- 
gotten. 

84 



MAHANOY PLANE and GILBERTON 



These two little towns lie in the valley, Gilber- 
ton adjoining Mahanoy Plane on the east, both 
being on the main line of the Philadelphia & Read- 
ing Railroad between Mahanoy City and Ash- 
land. They are both desolate looking little towns, 
due to the great culm banks as the result of re- 
moving the coal and dirt from the earth and 
depositing the waste material on the hills and 
valleys. Stephen Girard drove the first tunnel 
at Mahanoy Plane, and the wealth extracted from 
the earth since that time has been almost beyond 
computation. 

The great inclined planes owned by the Phila- 
delphia & Reading Company are located here, and 
with huge stationary engines located at Frack- 
ville, on the summit of the hill, the cars are 
hoisted upon the one track filled with coal from 
the Mahanoy Valley and empty cars lowered on 
the other track into the valley to be distributed 
amongst the collieries that exist in the valley. A 
double set of engines, and double tracks are now 
being installed. 

This means of hoisting the coal up the incline, 
allows an easy descent to Pottsville, and thence to 
Philadelphia. 

85 



FRACKVILLE 

This little town is one of the cleanest, most 
prosperous towns in the county. The miners 
from the Mahanoy Valley who have no desire to 
live amongst the culm and dirt banks, chose this 
as their place of residence in preference to some 
point near the colliery. 

The town is one of the highest points in the 
county, yet with this evident fact, during two sea- 
sons of unusual drought, artesian wells have sup- 
plied more water than the various towns through- 
out that section could carry away from the town 
in tank cars for that purpose. It has a never- 
failing stream of water beneath its surface. 

Its citizens are progressive, and the past two 
years has seen many changes in the carrying on 
of the affairs of the borough. A bank was estab- 
lished within recent years that is becoming a 
prominent institution. 



SAINT CLAIR 



This town became a borough in 1850, but there 
had been many residents here many years prior 
thereto. 

86 



It is located on the branch line of the Philadel- 
phia & Reading Railway and the main line of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad Company. 

For many years the mining of coal has gone 
along in the usual manner of coal mining locali- 
ties. It has good public schools, churches, and 
stores, and within the past few years has installed 
a system of sewage that has supplied a long felt 
want. 

At the present time the Philadelphia & Reading 
Railway Company are improving storage yards 
in this borough and adjoining township lands that 
will cost over a million dollars. New bridges have 
been erected to span the railroad, and at Mill 
Creek, the creek bed has been changed in order 
to permit of more trackage room for the storage 
of coal, the erecting of railroad car shops, and 
other improvements to be made making this little 
town one of great importance to the coal industry. 

A new weigh scale building has been erected 
containing offices, &c, in order to facilitate the 
work of weighing the coal coming down from 
Frackville. At this point the cars will be sorted 
out and the trains made up for the long run to 
the Atlantic coast and other shipping points. 

The town is very prosperous at the present 
time. 

87 



There are other factories in the town, but the 
pioneer industry of the town is that of making 
miners' squibs for the blasting necessary in the 
mines. It is the home of the "Safety Squib," a 
necessary article to every miner for blasting 
purposes. 

It is also connected with Pottsville by the 
Eastern Pennsylvania Railways Company, a trol- 
ley company that maintains an excellent schedule 
to and from the county seat. 



PORT CARBON 



This is another little town along the aforemen- 
tioned trolley line, and is virtually a continuation 
of Pottsville, between which there are close social 
and business connections. The Philadelphia & 
Reading Company runs through the town. It 
has the proud distinction of being settled almost 
simultaneously with Pottsville, as furnaces were 
built there, and also saw mills erected in the early 
days in order to be at the head of the Schuylkill 
Navigation Company Canal. 

A story was published years ago to the effect 
that when Abraham Pott had received the grant 
of land in which the town now stands, he erected 

88 



a few scattered homes. After a time other homes 
were erected but they were practically in a forest. 
The little town grew in several directions, and one 
night the citizens met around the cannon stove in 
the store and decided upon some action whereby 
the citizens could improve the town. The first 
thought was to cut down the timber and leave an 
open space for the citizens to view each other's 
homes. Words were suited to action, and before 
much time was lost, trees were felled right and 
left. Some owners objected to this high-handed 
method, and the entire town was routed out one 
day and taken before Court at Orwigsburg in hay 
wagons, log teams, &c. 

The case was called, but before the proceed- 
ings went very far, all were discharged, with no 
penalty attached. The citizens decided it was a 
great day's sport. 



SCHUYLKILL HAVEN 

This is the town which last derived any benefit 
from the old canal, above Port Clinton. It is the 
home of the oldest boatmen in this section of the 
state. In recent years it has made wonderful 
strides. Its homes are neat, its business places 

89 



attractive, and its streets, paved with brick, are 
much admired. It also has a bank. Churches are 
well kept and the population of the town is con- 
sidered above the average in intelligence. 

It is located on the main line of the Philadelphia 
& Reading, is the terminus of the Mine Hill 
branch of this road which is of historic associa- 
tions; is on the main line of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad, and also the Lehigh Valley. 

Just beyond the borough line in North Man- 
heim Township is the Schuylkill County Alms- 
house, which is at present undergoing the erec- 
tion of new hospital buildings. 

Besides its many railroad affiliations, it has 
many little hosiery and garment mills that are 
substantial institutions, and the owners are frugal 
and industrious. 

It is the home of the late Senator Samuel Ran- 
dall, of National fame. 



CRESSONA 



This little town has a unique history, having 
been the distributing centre for the coal that 
came down from the famous Gordon Planes also 
owned by the Philadelphia & Reading Company, 

90 



and used in the handling of coal from the point 
mentioned to that of Cressona, where it left the 
Mine Hill Division to connect with the main line 
of the railroad to Philadelphia. 

It has good churches and schools, and of recent 
years has wonderfully improved in appearance 
by the improving of the old homes and building of 
new ones. 



ORWIGSBURG 



The oldest town in the county has advanced but 
little in the matter of population, but what it lacks 
in quantity, it surpasses in quality, for it can truly 
be said that Orwigsburg is the parent of the 
county's most prominent and prosperous citizens. 
The original stock of inhabitants were German 
of the most sturdy, honest, law-abiding, God-fear- 
ing folk, and one of the first things after settling 
in that section, was to build churches. A few 
years ago the famous "Red Church" celebrated 
its centenary, the services being attended by so 
great a gathering that the edifice failed to hold 
the audience, hence it was necessary for many to 
participate in the service whilst remaining on the 
outside. 

91 



Financially, the town possesses the honor of 
having the highest per capita amount of wealth, 
owing principally to its many small industries 
which have become wealth producers for the own- 
ers, and the products of the same are worn 
throughout the country. Shoe factories and knit- 
ting mills are the town's most important in- 
dustries. 

It has never been able to induce but one rail- 
road to pass through its boundary and the service 
on that road in insufficient to be considered a rail- 
road for the general convenience of the travelling 
public, i.e., the Lehigh Valley. 



AUBURN and PORT CLINTON 

The former town has lately added the electric 
light to its other conveniences, hence it is deriv- 
ing much pleasure from the new method of light- 
ing, and forms an excellent improvement. It is 
on the main line of the Philadelphia & Reading, 
and the Schuylkill & Susquehanna line runs 
through to Harrisburg from this point. 

Port Clinton still sends coal down via canal 
boats, this being the last town in the county to 
make use of the canal, but there are other towns 

92 



that would pay a large sum for the same advan- 
tage, for a movement is on foot to again open up 
the canal so as to be a competition against the 
high freight rates on the railroads. 



TAMAQUA 



The fourth town in regards to population is 
Tamaqua, on the main line of the Philadelphia & 
Reading Company, and the Central Railroad of 
New Jersey enters the town. It has paved streets, 
owns it own water supply, has good lighting facil- 
ities, excellent schools and churches, and has 
many stores with well-appointed facilities. It is 
on the line of the Eastern Pennsylvania Railways 
Company which runs from Pottsville to Mauch 
Chunk, and maintains an excellent service. 

The people of Tamaqua are finding their way to 
Pottsville with greater ease since the establish- 
ment of the trolley line. 



MINERSVILLE 



This town is the fifth in size and importance in 
the county, and at the rapid manner of its growth 
it will soon pass some of the other towns in the 

93 



forward movement. It is being made the centre 
of an aggressive mining campaign in which new 
openings are frequently being made. Experienced 
operators from other regions are learning the 
value of the coal underlying that section of the 
county and are profiting thereby. 

The town has improved wonderfully the past 
few years, its stores are well kept, its streets well 
lighted, and with paved streets being added 
yearly, it will not be many years before it will 
take a place of prominence in the coal region. 

Its schools and churches are of the best. The 
Philadelphia & Reading Company pass through 
the town on the Mine Hill Division, and the Le- 
high Valley runs into the town, but the town is 
handicapped in a way owing to the fact that for 
the short ride to Pottsville, a fare of ten cents is 
maintained on the trolley system. 



HECKSCHERVILLE VALLEY 



This valley is one rich in minerals, and with 
each succeeding year more operations are opening 
up, so that the thought of coal veins being worked 
out in a few years, scientific mining methods have 
discovered greater veins than were ever known 

94 



in the past, and better methods adopted in the 
working of the same. The Philadelphia & Read- 
ing Company own most of these operations and 
are doing the work systematically. 



SCHUYLKILL VALLEY 



This section of the county was the first to send 
its coal products to the ports near Philadelphia, 
and many mines were worked to a successful 
issue, but of later years, the Philadelphia & Read- 
ing Company have failed to take advantage of 
the vast bodies of coal remaining untouched, and 
a rival company came into the field. Up to the 
present, nothing of importance has been done, but 
in no distant date in all probability the Delaware, 
Lackawanna & Western Railroad will enter the 
field and take some of old Schuylkill's wealth to 
its own banking institutions. 

Middleport, New Philadelphia, Cumbola, like- 
wise the entire valley will some day be a very im- 
portant mining centre. 



95 



TOWER CITY 

This town was named after a recent Ambassa- 
dor to Germany, Charlemagne Tower. It is lo- 
cated in the region from which some of the finest 
red ash coal in the world is mined. It is con- 
nected with the county seat by the Philadelphia 
& Reading Railroad, and the inhabitants mostly 
trade at this point. 



PINEGROVE 



This is one of the oldest towns in the county, 
having been a military post sometime in the latter 
part of the 1790's. It is also on the Philadelphia 
& Reading Company lines between Auburn and 
Harrisburg. It is a neat town, with modern im- 
provements, and its inhabitants are thrifty, and 
trustworthy. 



96 




A BIT OF HISTORY 

IVES, P0MER0Y & STEWART'S en- 
trance into the mercantile life of Potts- 
ville dates back just twenty-five years, 
to 1886, when they purchased the business of 
Jacob Miehle, 5 and 7 North Centre Street, and 
made C. George Miller manager. 

The advanced methods of merchandising and 
the liberal store policy and spirit of aggressive- 
ness of the newcomers and its manager, soon won 
the favor of the Schuylkill Countains. 

After six years of new and better store service, 
the business reached such proportions that it 
compelled the growing firm to reach out for larger 
quarters, so the R. R. Morris Building was pur- 
chased, this being the largest building in Potts- 
ville devoted to department store use. Since this 
purchase many improvements have been made, 
in keeping with the progress of trade and the 
growth of the city's interests. 

Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart first established 

97 



themselves in business in Reading, Pa., in 1876. 
Their other stores are located at Harrisburg and 
Pottstown, and they also hold a partnership inter- 
est in the Wm. F. Gable & Co. store at Altoona, Pa. 

Through their connection with the Syndicate 
Trading Co. of New York, with foreign offices in 
Paris, France; Manchester, England; Chemnitz, 
Germany, and St. Gall, Switzerland, they enjoy 
every facility for getting European goods direct 
from manufacturers economically for their chain 
of stores. 

The New York office maintains a staff of capa- 
ble buyers who attend to the importation of 
goods for the twelve stores composing the Syndi- 
cate Trading Co. and as well keep in close touch 
with the markets of domestic made products. 

Josiah Dives, the senior member of the firm of 
Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart, is of English parent- 
age and was born in Canterbury, England, in 1851. 
He was educated in the public schools and also 
at Cross Academy. The death of his father when 
he was only thirteen years years old, was a turn- 
ing point in his life. After a few years he went 
to London and was employed in the well-known 
mercantile house of Debenham & Freebody. In 
1872 Mr. Dives met Mr. J. M. Thomson of Brown, 

98 



Thomson & Co., Hartford, Conn., who prevailed 
upon him to come to America. He remained with 
this firm until 1876, when he decided to go into 
business with George S. Pomeroy and John Stew- 
art. They located in Reading at 533 Penn Street, 
which soon proved too small for their rapidly 
growing business. Today they occupy the best 
site and largest store in the City of Reading, also 
of Harrisburg, Altoona, Pottsville and Pottstown. 
Mr. Dives has a handsome city home on Hill Road, 
Reading, opposite the park, which he occupies in 
the winter with his wife and family and in the 
summer he spends much of his time at his beauti- 
ful and attractive country home called "Folly 
Farm," about three miles from Reading. 

George Strickland Pomeroy, the youngest mem- 
ber of the firm of Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart, was 
born in Hartford, Conn., July 10, 1853. His fam- 
ily antecedents were Colonial and Continental ; he 
was the son of Joseph and Mary Wadsworth Pom- 
eroy. He illustrates in his life the highest quali- 
ties of a self-made man, is public spirited and very 
charitable. He inherits his mercantile tastes 
from his father and grandfather, who were suc- 
cessful merchants. Mr. Pomeroy formerly resided 
part of the year in his city home, but about ten 

99 



years ago he enlarged and beautified his country 
residence at Wernersville, Pa., known as "Glen 
Tilt," where he now resides with his family. 

John Stewart, the deceased member of the firm, 
passed away in November, 1885 ; he was a gentle- 
man of Scotch birth and was much beloved by his 
partners and many friends. 

C. George Miller, manager of Dives, Pomeroy & 
Stewart's Pottsville store, was born in Lebanon 
County in 1853. At the age of 16 he moved to 
Pottsville and entered the employ of Samuel 
Morris, 218 North Centre Street. A short time 
later Mr. Miller became one of Mr. R. R. Morris' 
clerks, remaining in his service ten years, at the 
corner of Centre and Mahantongo streets, where 
the Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart store is now lo- 
cated. Mr. Miller's deep interest in his work and 
his progressive spirit made him want to reach 
out further, as he entered a broader field by con- 
necting himself with his present employers' store 
at Reading, Pa. After two years of service he 
returned to Pottsville in 1882 and engaged in the 
dry goods business in the property adjoining the 
main building of the Pottsville Republican. Be- 
fore many months a prosperous business made it 
necessary to remove to larger quarters at Second 

100 



and Market streets, and the business cares 
reached such proportions that several partners 
joined him in his growing business. The partner- 
ship continued for several years, until 1886, when 
Mr. Miller sold his interest in the business to his 
partners and purchased for Dives, Pomeroy & 
Stewart the business of Jacob Miehle, 5 and 7 
North Centre Street, he becoming the general 
manager of the firm. Mr. Miller is one of Potts- 
ville's oldest merchants, having entered his forty- 
second year of mercantile life in Pottsville, and he 
is held in high esteem by his friends and acquaint- 
ances in the business and social circles of the city 
and county. Mr. Miller is the owner of the beau- 
tiful country residence of the late Senator Samuel 
Randall, in North Manheim Township, where he 
resides the year round. 



FINIS 

At the close of this, the county of Schuylkill's 
first centenary festivities, it is but fitting to re- 
new allegiance to her institutions, so that in a 
larger degree her future success be measured ; her 
prosperity be carefully guarded, her citizens keep 
inviolate the sanctity of her laws ; 

101 



That in the increase of her prosperity, a vigi- 
lant eye guard her every movement ; 

That her laws be observed as a sacred duty, to 
so temper her steel that it may withstand any 
strain ; 

That her citizens, at the close of another cente- 
nary, may look back with pride to the great good 
accomplished in all her affairs ; 

That a free, law-abiding, God-fearing people, in 
which love and respect predominates, shall abide 
within her walls; 

That her churches, her schools and her public 
institutions may have enjoyed the fullest measure 
of prosperity; 

That her commercial interests be built upon 
the highest pinnacle — even beyond the height at- 
tained at the present time, and whilst we bid fare- 
well to our many friends and patrons, may we join 
the chorus of 

"Schuylkill! Oh Dear Old Schuylkill! 
Nestling 'neath hills so fair, 
When roving days are ended, 
I know a welcome waits me there." 

Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart. 

Pottsville, Penna., 1911. 



102 



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__ . __ 



L 




EXTRACTS FROM A PAPER PREPARED FOR THE HIS- 
TORICAL SOCIETY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY 
BY BAIRD HALBERSTADT 

The sketch presented on the opposite page was reduced 
from a lithographic reproduction of a pen and ink sketch 
made in the summer of 1830 by an architect named T. P. 
Ashwin, who had come to Pottsville to superintend the 
erection of a number of fine residences. 

Possessed of an artistic temperament and being a lover 
of Nature, Mr. Ashwin as he rambled about was so much 
impressed with this view, that he, with pen and ink, pre- 
served it for future generations. 

The position he took was on the western side of the 
Pottsville Gap, about midway between what is now Hotel 
Street and the road leading from Second Street, and to 
the southwest of the Snyder Mansion, at corner of Centre 
and Morris streets. 

To the right winding around the base of Sharp Moun- 
tain is seen the Schuylkill Canal with the lock-tender and 
collector's office. In the foreground is Pioneer Island with 
the forge built between 1797 and 1804, by Reese & Thomas. 
On the slope of Sharp Mountain is seen the coal mine of 
Robert Barclough with its schute and plane. In the left 
foreground rises the roof of the residence now occupied by 
Miss Emma Pott, which was built in 1829. 

The building to the left at the breast of the dam across 
the Schuylkill River is the grist mill of John Pott, erected 
in 1810. (The site of the old mill is now occupied by the 
Philips' shirt factory on Mauch Chunk Street.) Within a 
short distance of this mill were the cabin in which the 
Neiman family were massacred by Indians in August, 
1780, and the ford of "the King's Highway" constructed 
in 1770. 

103 



On the hill to the left are seen the house and buildings 
occupied by Robert and John Young, who mined coal in 
the hollow to the east of the house and now as then known 
as Young's Landing. The houses seen on the island in the 
foreground were occupied by the men employed at the 
forge. Coal was mined at the foot of the hill below the 
large trees near the present Mauch Chunk Street bridge 
as early as 1783. In the distance stretches away Salem 
Hill, terminating at Port Carbon. 

It was at the Pottsville furnace built on Pioneer Island 
in 1838 by Messrs. Marshall Kellogg & Company that 
William Lyman began his experiments in smelting iron 
ore with anthracite coal. Lyman received a prize of $5000 
subscribed by some influential citizens of Pennsylvania, 
and "to be presented to the individual who would, within 
a specified time, succeed in smelting a certain amount of 
iron ore with Anthracite Coal, &c." 

By awarding the prize to Mr. Lyman, the questions of 
where and by whom the first successful attempt to smelt 
iron ore with hard coal was settled. 

The house in the right foreground was remodelled by 
the late D. J. Ridgeway, Esq., and occupied by him for 
many years as a residence. Its site is the present lawn 
on the south side of the P. W. Sheafer home. At the time 
(1830), the Philadelphia & Reading R. R. had not yet 
been built. 

The sites of the houses and the grounds occupied by the 
Youngs on the hill to the left have been laid out with hand- 
some broad avenues and are now (1911) occupied by com- 
fortable houses, cottages and bungalows. 



104 



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